Chapter 15 Section 3

Swahili Great Zimbabwe Mutapa

1100 waves of Bantu speaking people migrated across central Africa Established fishing and farming villages Muslim Arab and Persian traders settled in port cities Swahili-mix of Bantu and Arabic

1331 Battuta visited Kilwa Admired Muslim rulers and merchants Rich families lived in fine houses Beds of ivory, meals served in porcelain Women wore silk and had gold and silver bracelets

Kilwa was rich because it was south on the coast. Farthest point that could be reached from India in one season 1200’s seized the port of Sofala Trading center for gold mined inland

1488 first Portuguese ships rounded southern tip of Africa Looked for sea route to India Saw wealth of East Africa city-states Portuguese took Sofala with cannon from their ships

Muslim traders introduced Islam to East African coast Smaller towns had mosques Muslim sultan or ruler governed most city-states Most of east African coast held onto traditional beliefs Also inland villages

Persian traders moved south to horn of Africa Asia goods to Africa and back trading cities dotted the coast West Africa seaports grew wealthy

Gold and ivory helped city-states grow rich Shona people established Great Zimbabwe Fertile, well-watered plateau Well suited for farming and grazing

Important trade route linking goldfields to coastal Sofala 1000 Great Zimbabwe gained control of trading centers 1200’s to 1400’s thriving capital Leaders taxed traders

Demanded payments from lesser chiefs Became the economic, political, and religious center of its empire 1450 Great Zimbabwe abandoned One theory grazing land worn out, soil worn out

People had used up al the salt Knowledge comes from its ruins Portuguese explores knew of the site in the 1500’s Karl Mauch discovered the ruins in 1871

City in southern Africa Means stone houses Royal palace for rulers Great curving walls around the ruins Construction took 400 years Mostly for defense or to impress visitors

1420 Mututa left Great Zimbabwe to find new source of salt Traveled north Mutapa- means conqueror 1500 Portuguese believe it a title of respect for a leader

Origin of Mutapa empire Conquered all of Zimbabwe 1480 Mutota’s son claimed an area from Zimbabwe River to the Indian Ocean Mined gold

Conquered people forced to mine Sent gold to city-states in exchange for luxuries 1500 Portuguese tried to conquer them They tried to influence politics Had rulers overthrown European interference in Africa